However, installation companies that remain skeptical about winning stimulus-funded projects have good cause to be more optimistic, according to Thomas Turner, public sector business development manager for Greenville, S.C.-based distributor ScanSource Security.

Increasingly, end users are looking to do business with resellers that are strategically located in their immediate communities, Turner says.

VSR also spent time with Thomas Turner, Public Sector Business Development Manager, Catalyst Telecom, on the distributor's new Government Source program.Turner not only discussed the new program, but also noted how ScanSource is working to provide its partners with support and marketing help in this area.
The program also aims to act as a "matchmaker" for those VARs who want to get into public sector, but may not have the expertise in their approach, or familiarity with the vertical.
In that case, Turner says, ScanSource will partner or match them up with another VAR who can work together with them on the project.